Qatar Central Indian Association celebrated Christmas & New Year with great fanfare

Christmas and New Year celebrations were held with great fanfare by the Central Indian Association (CIA) in Doha, Qatar, on Friday, December 23rd 2022. An air of excitement of festival cheer prevailed as the CIA members decorated the hall. The other attractions were the children games, cultural programs and songs by Doha Music Lovers group.

The truly colorful evening was packed with lot of entertainment, games, fun and frolic and lasted until late night. The cultural event began with a prayer that invoked god’s blessings. Syed Rafi, the Vice President of CIA said that the true spirit of any festival lies in experiencing god’s presence in our heart.

This universal festival of light and hope is all about reaching out and putting a smile on someone’s face. He explained the uniqueness of Central Indian Association Group, which not only comprised members from various parts of India but also from Philippines, Malaysia and Europe.

Jai Prakash Singh, the president of CIA Group initiated the event with a welcome note. In his welcome address, he envisaged that, taking part in shared family and in traditional festivities such as those practiced historically during religious celebrations, boosts our sense of shared identity, connection, and ultimately wellbeing.

He recognized and appreciated the efforts of all the CIA committee members in making this program a grand success. The high-octane dance performances by Chudamani group and Visalakshi group energized and uplifted the crowd, bringing cheer to everyone’s hearts.

The dulcet voice of Reena Danao from Philippines singing Christmas song lent exuberance to the occasion.  Christmas Goody bags were distributed to the kids by CIA Group. Spot games were conducted in between where the entire children participated with great enthusiasm. Juice and cakes were distributed during the event and delicious food was served to the guests. 

Mohinder Jalandhary and Visalakshi hosted the event with flair. Vandana Raj introduced the new guests & participants and welcomed the gathering.  The other committee members of CIA present during the event were Ashok Raj, Jogesh Dewan, Vipin, Aslam Khan and Junaid Shaikh.

From Doha Music Lovers Group, singers Jaweed Bajwa, Mohinder Jalandhary, Sara Ali Khan, Madhu Vanteru and Basit Pathan entertained the crowd with their mesmerizing melodious voices and made the audience dance to their tunes, making it really a lively and memorable celebration. Syed Rafi expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this happy occasion and ended the event with vote of thanks.